The Lord wants us to experience a full reward

The Lord wants us to experience a full reward.  Read the following scriptures:

2 John 1:8 (NKJV) 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Genesis 15:1 (NKJV) 15 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

Psalm 19:9-11 (AMP) 9 The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; they are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them is Your servant warned (reminded, illuminated, and instructed); and in keeping them there is great reward.

Psalm 57:2 (AMP) 2 I will cry to God Most High, Who performs on my behalf and rewards me [Who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them]!

Proverbs 11:31 (ERV) 31 If good people are rewarded here on earth, then surely those who do evil will also get what they deserve.

1 Timothy 5:18 (KJV) 18 For the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

Do we follow a pattern of obeying the Lord's counsel?

The full reward of honor means that we develop a pattern in our life of obeying the Lord's counsel.  As children of God we can attain salvation and eternal life but miss out on experiencing the full reward of the Lord here on earth and in heaven, if we do not heed his counsel for our life.  How we walk this out is that we   develop a pattern of obeying what God has told us to do.  We think of the Israelites as an example of this when they were instructed to take the promised land.  They sent the spies into the land, as the Lord had instructed, and the majority of them came back and said it couldn't be done, except Joshua and Caleb.  The people had established a habit of complaining and being disobedient to the Lord.  The result of this practice of disobedience, is that when a life defining moment came up, they were ill prepared to do what God asked them to do.  It cost them the plan that God had for them.  They would not make it to the promised land.
They ended up dying out in the wilderness.  They had practiced disobedience so long, that when this life changing moment came up, they missed it.  It would prove to be irreversible.  It says in Numbers 14:26-30 (NKJV)  “26 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 27 “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. 28 Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: 29 The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. 30 Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in.”

A contemporary look at the end times

Our Apostle Paul addresses the end times in a letter that he wrote to Timothy, his fellow co-worker in the faith.  Apostle Paul put it this way in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (AMP) 3 But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. 2 For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. 3 [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. 4 [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God. 5 For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them]."

What will it be like before the Lord returns?

We were recently moved in our heart by the Holy Spirit to focus on our Savior's second coming.  So we ask ourselves, what will it look like before the Lord's return?  The Lord Jesus gave us insight into this himself, it is recorded in Matthew 24:37 (NKJV) "37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be."  Jesus insight into his second coming is that it will be like it was in the days of Noah.  So what was it like in the days of Noah?  It says in Genesis 6:5-8 (NKJV) “5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”  So we have a pattern of what to look for before the Lord's return.  But we want to find grace in the eyes of the Lord.  We activate this grace through faith in our Savior Jesus Christ.

How do we know if we are thinking the right thing?

We cannot control the fact that we think.  Thinking is very much a normal part of the functioning of our being.  However, we can control what thoughts that we entertain and dwell upon.  We also have the power to reject thoughts and take authority over them and cast them out of our minds.  But how can we tell if we are thinking or mediating on the right thing.  It says in Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) "3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You."  So when we fix our mind on the thoughts that originate on the impulses of the Holy Spirit, the ultimate result of that thinking will be the peace of God.  So if we want to test if our thinking is right or not, we ask ourselves if it's producing the peace of God in our life.

What thoughts do we let shape us?

Here is something that I would like for you to write down some where: "Thoughts are a force that shape our life."  They are a spiritual force that shape us.  What we habitually think about is very important.  Because what a person habitually thinks about is going to be the path that their life takes.  It says in Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV) [Portion] “7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…”  Here is another phrase that I want you to write down: "We become what we think about".  What we continually think about is what we become.  You see the Bible is a collection of God's thoughts.  If we will take God's thoughts and make them our thoughts, then we will grow more and more into the image of Jesus Christ.  We will also start to experience more of his presence in our life.

Blessed Thanksgiving!

We as God's children will gather around our dining room tables this Thanksgiving holiday in celebration with thankfulness for how God has provided for us over this past year.  This attitude of thankfulness should be expressed all the time and every day.  But on this national holiday we emphasize this thanks to God, as we should.  We think of this text in Colossians 2:7 (NLT) "7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness."  We know that God is our source of everything in our life.  So it should be that as we gather together this Thanksgiving that we give thanks to the source of our life for everything that he has provided for us.  Perhaps all that we believe for is not fully manifested in our life.  We should still give thanks to God for the good that he has done and for that which he will do.  Blessed Thanksgiving!

People should see Christ in us

If we are a believer in Jesus Christ, then people should see Jesus Christ in us.  In other words, if we have been born again of spirit and water, then we have received the Holy Spirit on the inside of our spirit.  This means that we are a child of God.  As a child of God we have to ask ourselves do people see Christ in us?  It says in Romans 12:2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."  You see, our behavior will follow our thinking.  If we think wrong thoughts and have wrong mindsets then the decisions we make and our behavior will reflect that wrong thinking.  However, if we let what we are thinking be changed by the word of God that we read and hear, then our thoughts will start to line up with the thinking of God himself.  It will start us on a path that will ultimately prove out that God's thinking and word works. Because we will manifest more of the blessing of God in our life.  In other words, we will start to look more and more like Jesus Christ.

Our life is a reflection of the choices that we make

There is one thing that is inescapable in our life:  Our life is a reflection of the choices that we make.  So it would behoove us to choose wisely.  There are choices that are wise and then there are choices that are foolish.  So we should be asking ourselves are we making wise choices.  Choices that are wise are going to lead to more happiness and joy in our life.  Wise choices are going to lead to more success and fulfillment in our life.  They are going to lead to more prosperity in our life.  It says in Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NKJV) “19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.””  When we choose our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus we are choosing life.  We are choosing wisely.  When we choose the Word of God as the preeminent authority in our life, we are making a wise choice for life, success and the fulfillment we so desire after.

The Lord can restore us despite any mistakes we have made

As children of God, it is so nice to know that the Lord can restore us despite any mistakes that we have made.  Sometimes in life we can be our own worst critic.  Bringing up to ourselves the past mistakes that we have made and dwelling on them.  Perhaps we have difficulty even forgiving ourselves for some mistake that we made in the past.  The good news is that Jesus already paid the price for any of our sins past, present and in the future.  Now that does not give us the license to sin, but it provides us the grace that we need to be forgiven our past mistakes and his power to have that which has been lost in our life restored.  All we need to do is ask for forgiveness and then do what God tells us to do.  I think of the story of Job in the bible.  The story starts out so well. Job was doing so good.  But then he started to get into fear.  He made a mistake, and it opened the door to the devil in his life.  But the good news is that when you read chapter 42, Job has everything restored in his life.  Not only was he restored, but God gave him double.  That's the good news that our Heavenly Father wants to share with us.  God has a tendency to restore double or more.

We can always have the blessing of God at work in our life

Everything in life involves a choice and a choice requires a decision.  So we ask ourselves are we making a choice and decision for God?  In the Bible the Lord expressed it this way in Deuteronomy 30:19 (NLT) “19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!”.  So the Lord places a choice before us as believers.  We can either choose life or death, or we can choose blessings or curses.  It always comes done to us.  Our Heavenly Father wants us to choose His blessing in our life.  We choose his blessing when we make a decision to be obedient to the Lord.  We can be assured that if we place our trust in the Lord and are obedient to him His blessing is always going to show up on and in our life; and that blessing is going to produce an increased measure of peace, joy and abundance.

Live a fail-safe lifestyle

As God's children our faith can fail without the love of God.  Remember what the Lord Jesus told Peter in Luke 22:32 (NLT) "32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”"  So evidently our faith can fail, otherwise Jesus wouldn't have had to pray for Peter that his faith wouldn't fail.  But the one thing that we can base our lifestyle on that will not fail is the love of God.  To live this fail-safe lifestyle, we must walk in the love of God.  To get just a glimpse of this love that our Heavenly Father walks in that we are also admonished to walk in we look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NKJV) ” 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails…”  I also like how NLT translates 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.  It says,  “4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”  This gives us just a glimpse of what our love walk should look like.  If we will walk in the love of God, we will be more successful then we have ever imagined, and our faith won't fail..

Do we fulfill the royal law?

As children of God, we are citizens of the kingdom of God.  In this kingdom there is something that is known as the royal law.  My question to you is are you fulfilling the royal law?  It says in James 1:25 (NKJV)”25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”  So in this preeminent law of liberty is  blessing.  In other words, if we will do the the perfect law of liberty we have a guarantee from our Heavenly Father that we will be blessed.  Then what is this law of liberty?  The perfect law of liberty was proclaimed by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  It's recorded in Matthew 22:37-40 (NKJV) "37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”"

We owe love to our neighbor

As children of God we have a debt that we have to repay to our neighbor.  We have to make payments on this debt every day.  This debt is to love our neighbor.  It says in Romans 13:8 (NKJV) “ Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.”  So the Apostle Paul is sharing with us here that we should stay out of financial debt but we are always indebted to our neighbor to love them.  As a part of the indebtedness, we are to treat everyone with dignity, respect and as valuable.  There is a saying in the world that people have to earn respect.  Actually we owe it to our neighbor to give them respect.  It should flow naturally out of us to other people.  From this love peace also flows.  We should strive to speak words that bring peace into others lives.  This love also doesn't try to put pressure on people to manipulate them.  This love strives to bring the best out of their neighbor.

Walking in the love of God will cause him to show up more in our life

As children of God we all want to experience more of God's presence in our life.  We all want to experience the miraculous, have more wisdom, know what to do at the right time, and et cetera.  But how do we experience more of the divine in our life?  We do that by walking in the love of God.  It says in John 14:21 (NLT) "21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”"  So we ask ourselves, do we accept the commandments of our Heavenly Father?  It that how we orientate our thinking?  To strive to think about situations and circumstances the way our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus would approach things in our life.  How are we at obedience to the Lord?  This measures our love for the Lord and has an impact on the measure of God's presence that we will experience in our life.

We are nothing without God's love

I have often shared with others that the greatest force that there is in existence is the force and power of love.  Love drives everything in this world and in eternity.  Love is such a critical force and power that without it we are nothing.  It says in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (AMP) "13 If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such [a]as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers ([b]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody). 3 Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or [c]in order that I may glory, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing."  The love of God is the spiritual force that is the foundation for our entire life.  It's gives substance and life to everything we do.

Walking in the love of God brings full joy

People are miserable when they live a selfish life.  When we are self-obsessed all the time we will never experience the fullness of joy that we should in our life.  It is only through our commitment to God and his word that we will experience the fullness of the joy that God has for us.  It says in John 15:9-11 (NKJV) "9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full."  The Lord shares with us here that the pathway to more happiness and joy in our life runs right through our obedience to the Lord.

Are we fulfilling the law of Christ?

The law of Christ is the law of substitution and sacrifice.  In other words, Christ substituted himself for our sins and sacrificed himself for our salvation and redemption.  It says in Galatians 6:2 (NIV) 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  Jesus said it a different way when he said in Luke 9:23-24 (NIV) "23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it."  So we as God's children are to fulfill the law of Christ.  Thus is should be a joy to be inconvenienced to help others as we are directed by the Holy Spirit.  In fact, it may even be necessary to suffer what we may want to help someone else.  This is the law of Christ.

There is no condemnation in Christ

One of the beautiful things about a relationship with Jesus Christ is that there is no condemnation in the relationship as long as we are walking in the Spirit (This means walking in the light of God's word.).  It says in Romans 8:1-2 "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."  It's really liberating when we understand that God does not condemn us.  However, that does not mean that the Holy Spirit will not convict us.  In other words, if we are not walking as we should the Holy Spirit will convict us in the area that we are wrong, so as to get us on the right path.  Our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus want us to be blessed and will provide whatever help we need.

How we treat each other is our Christian witness

As Christians and followers of Jesus Christ, it is very important how we treat one another.  In John 13:34,35 (NKJV) it says,  "34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”  So the Lord Jesus here says that we are to love each other just as he has loved us.  That is a very tall order.  When you think of all that Jesus did for us and for the ultimate sacrifice that he paid with his life to ransom us from the power of darkness.  It is with this same love that we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Jesus further said here, that this love that we have one for another, would be how others would recognize us as believers and followers of Jesus Christ.  Let's walk in this love.

Do we walk in darkness?

It says in 1 John 1:5 (NKJV) "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all."  There is no darkness in our Heavenly Father at all.  We are instructed as children of God to walk in the light and to be imitators of God himself.  So then why would a child of God walk in the darkness?  When we walk in darkness we do not walk in the light of God's word.  It causes the blessing of God to stop working in our life.  It's just like someone who would come home late at night and not turn the light on in their house.  So in the dark they would grope around and bump into things.  Perhaps that could injure themselves pretty bad.  To the point they might even need medical help.  Such is the believer who refuses to walk in the light of God's word.  They will cause unnecessary damage and impact the blessing of God in their lives.

"God's Love Has Been Poured Into Our Hearts” - Part 1

ARM Message for September 16, 2012: “God's Love Has Been Poured Into Our Hearts” - Part 1
Foundation Text:
Romans 5:5 "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
To request a copy of this message email me at arobinson@arms.cc  To access our website click www.arms.cc

How can we have victory over persecution as Christians?

Our Heavenly Father sows his word into our spirit.  We want to receive that word and put it into practice in our life.  But we have an enemy of the brethren called the devil.  It is the devil's goal to put up a challenge to us walking out what our Heavenly Father has taught us.  Our main weapon against the devices of the enemy is to be rooted and grounded in love.  It says in Mark 4:17 "and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble."  In other words, Satan is after the word in us.  So he will attempt to bring persecutions into our life.  But we have an almighty weapon that he cannot penetrate and that is called walking in the love of God.  In other words, being rooted and grounded in the love of God.

Our spiritual foundation is the love of God

As God's children we have been renamed or adopted into his family.  When you have the name of the family head that you have been adopted into, that means that you get all of the privileges associated with that new family name.  The reality of that makes our heart leap for joy.  As God's child we get all of the privileges and inheritance that is associated with that adoption.  But with that adoption we are also provided what we need for the foundation of our spiritual life, which is the love of God.  It says in Ephesians 3:17 [portion] "...that you, being rooted and grounded in love,..."  As God's children it is essential that we have as our spiritual foundation the love of God.  Because the love of God enables us a working knowledge of his word, affords us greater understanding, passes knowledge through to us, and will enable us to experience more of of his fullness or presence in our lives.

How do we know we are walking in the love of God?

There are many different definitions of love in the world.  However, there is only one right definition of the love as it relates to our Heavenly Father.  Our Heavenly Father has made it clear for us, that when we do what he shares with us to do, that is a reflection or measure of whether we really love God.  It says in 1 John 5:1-3 (AMP) 5 Everyone who believes (adheres to, trusts, and relies on the fact) that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah) is a born-again child of God; and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him (His offspring). 2 By this we come to know (recognize and understand) that we love the children of God: when we love God and obey His commands (orders, charges)—[when we keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and His teaching]. 3 For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous).  Our Heavenly Father provides for us a benchmark with which we can gauge our love for him.  Do we strive to do that which shares with us and teaches us to do?

Walking in the love of God is so vital for us

If we have received Christ as our Lord and Savior, then we have received the love of God into our heart.  This is vital for our eternal security and is necessary to live a fulfilled life.  It says in 1 John 5:18 (AMP) 18 We know [absolutely] that anyone born of God does not [deliberately and knowingly] practice committing sin, but the One Who was begotten of God carefully watches over and protects him [Christ’s divine presence within him preserves him against the evil], and the wicked one does not lay hold (get a grip) on him or touch [him].  When we walk in the love of God it keeps us from sinning against God and our fellow man.  It serves as a motivating protection for us.  This scripture also tells us that when we walk in the Love of God it keeps the devil out of our life and our affairs.

What is necessary for one to experience the Love of God?

If someone wants to experience the love of God, it is necessary to have the love of God in their heart.  It says in 1 John 4:15-16 (NKJV)” 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”  So in order to experience the love of God we first have to receive the love of God in the person of Jesus Christ.  When we have been born again of water and spirit, then we have received the love of God into our hearts.  If we have received this love already, then we need to stir it up and elevate it in our thinking.  We need to give it priority in our life.

Jesus is the light of this world

We should be so thankful that Jesus came to save us and that he came to be a light for us in the darkness of this world.  He came and manifested such grace and truth in our midst. It says in John 8:12 (NKJV) "12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”  If we make a decision and a choice to accept Jesus Christ into our life and to follow him, we will not walk in darkness.  You see there is no darkness in God or there is no other essence in him but light.  We can evaluate our walk with the Lord Jesus by simply taking stock of ourselves and measuring that against the teachings of the Holy Spirit as recorded in the Bible.

We invite you to a call to prayer

Next week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday we will be fasting and praying for our nation. We will be praying for all of those in authority and those who influence the people that make up our nation. We are praying that our nation will turn to God in a greater way. We are praying for those who are unemployed and those in our nation who are living in poverty.  We are praying for those who are affected by the worst drought our country has experienced in 50 years.  We are praying for our people to choose life.  It says in Jeremiah 17:7-8 "7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit." You can access our website at www.arms.cc

Do we take time to listen to the word of God?

In order for us to remain healthy spiritually, we have to remain spiritually fit.  In order for us to remain spiritually healthy, we have to be continual hearers of the word of God.  Do we expose ourselves to hear the word of God on a daily and / or weekly basis?  It is very important that we make ourselves available to hear the word of God on a weekly basis.  It says in Hebrews 10:25 (NLT) "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."  There is strength in coming together as believers and Christians and being in fellowship together.  We are all a part of the body of Christ and we need each other.  Jesus put it this way, where two or three are gathered in my name there I am in the midst.  There is strength in the gathering of believers.

Everything in life begins with a choice

We are ultimately the choices that we make.  The question is will we make a choice for life?  It says in Deuteronomy 30:19 (ERV) "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live." Our Heavenly Father sets before us the word of God which is life.  If we will choose our Heavenly Father (his word) in our decisions, we will make a choice for life.  We will find that we are more joyful, happy and fulfilled in our life.  We will find that we have that peace of God in our hearts and souls.  We will find the contentment that we so long for.  Because we have made a choice for life and for our best well-being.

Why not tap into someone that knows everything?

Our Heavenly Father literally knows everything.  God created the heavens and the earth.  Our God knew us before the foundation of the world.  It says in Ephesians 1:3-4 (NIV) “3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.”  Our God already has everything figured out.  Why don't we tap into his wisdom through prayer and faith, and get supernatural wisdom about the direction for our lives.  Why not try to fit into God's plan for our life?  When we do we will find that we become more happy, joyful, fulfilled and have more peace in our life.

Do We Try to Do God's Will?

That was the case with the Apostle Paul in the Bible in the New Testament.  It says in Colossians 1:1[Portion] "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God..."  So Apostle Paul did not make a decision for himself what he was called to do but it was God who called him into his service.  So Apostle Paul's ministry was the will of God for him.  In other words, when Apostle Paul executed on his ministry calling, he was trying to do the will of God.  Against this backdrop, we have to examine ourselves.  Are we doing what God has called us to do?  Do we try to do the will of God for ourselves in our everyday lives?  In other words, do we strive to live out our lives in accordance with the teachings of Christ?

The Lord gives us Shepherds

How do we choose a shepherd to guide and lead us spiritually?  In Jeremiah 3:15 (NIV) it says, "Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart...).  It is the Lord's desire to provide for us a spiritual shepherd to lead us.  This is not done of our own choosing, but God will draw or provide into our life a spiritual shepherd so that we have someone who can gently lay into us the teaching of our Heavenly Father.  These shepherds will provide for us the knowledge and understanding that we need so that we can be prepared for the return of the Lord but also for our journey here on earth.  We go through this process of acquiring a spiritual shepherd through prayer and seeking the Lord's guidance.  Because we want shepherds that are after our Heavenly Fathers and the Lord Jesus heart.

God wants us to have a clear conscious

When we have done something wrong or displeasing to the Heavenly Father, God wants us to regain a clear conscious.  He has made provision for that through his mercy.  All we have to do is to confess what we have done wrong to the Lord with an honest and pure heart.  Be assured when we approach our Heavenly Father in such a manner he will forgive us our sins.  This is the process that is necessary to have the blood of Jesus cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Also connected with this forgiveness is repentance.  Once we have confessed our wrong doings and asked God to forgive us, then we must repent.  Our repentance is reflected in our change of behavior.  In other words, we start doing what God says do.

God does not reward unfaithfulness

Our Heavenly Father does not reward unfaithfulness.  When we talk about unfaithfulness, we are talking about one's lack of adherence to the voice of God.  We are talking about a persons' lack of walking out their life according to the promises of God.  Unfaithful people don't remain true to the confession of their faith and are not loyal to the things of God.  A natural manifestation of unfaithfulness is someone who would commit adultery on their spouse or a single person who commits sexual sin.  An unfaithful person will also try to twist the truth of God's word to fit their own interests and desires.  When unfaithfulness is fully developed in someones life, then that person will no longer believe the truth of God's word.  But God is merciful.  All one has to do is return to God and then they can receive God's mercy.

How do we draw the blessing of God into our life?

Do you want to experience more blessing and prosperity in your life?  If you do, then I am going to tell you how that's done.  It's done through obedience to the word of God and to the voice of the Holy Spirit.  It says in Deuteronomy 28:1-2 (NKJV) “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God.  In order to draw closer to God and to manifest more of his blessing in our lives, we just simply have to listen and obey the word of God and the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Can we prosper in our lives like Abraham's son Isaac?

Sure we can.  We have the same inheritance that Issac had through our being born again with water and spirit through our savior Jesus Christ.  It says in Genesis 26:2-3 (NIV) “2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. 3 Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.”  Isaac was prosperous in this situation because he listened to the voice of the Lord.  This is the same for us. We as God's children have to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and let him lead and guide us.  As we do, then we will also experience the fullness of God's blessing in our situations and circumstances of life.

What are we renewing our mind in?

As God's children we are admonished to renew our mind in the word of God.  It says in Romans 12:2 (NKJV) “2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”.  We have to be careful about thinking about what were thinking about.  In other words, we want to take in the word of God and let it change our thinking.  We want to line up our thinking with the thinking of our Heavenly Father.  When we allow the word of God to change our thinking then it will also start to transform us.  It will allow us to see things in a new way, in a way that will give us new insights and discoveries.  By renewing our mind in the word of God it will ultimately change our behavior.  Which will lead us to greater blessings in our life.

Do we give to be a blessing?

If we as God's children want to receive a greater harvest in our lives, then we have to look for opportunities to be a greater blessing.  It says in 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NLT) "6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”  8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others."  So we determine the harvest that we are going to receive in our lives.  The only thing that we need to check is our level of giving and the attitude by which we do it.  To share a donation or gift into this ministry click http://www.arms.cc/giving.html

Encourage your family, friends and neighbors

We should encouraged our family, friends and neighbors that if they have a genetic predisposition to a certain disease that they can overcome this through faith in the word of God, diet, exercise, supplements, medical treatment and et cetera.  They should not give into the disease but should fight with all the strength that God gives them.

This is also true with our family, friends and neighbors who have a genetic or hormonal predisposition to live a lifestyle that is not in agreement with the word of God.  You should encourage them to fight this with the good fight of faith and treatment so as to maximize the blessing of God in their life.

Do we have fellowship with God?

It is very important that we spend time with the creator of the universe on a daily basis.  When we abide in God  we are going to think better, feel better, believe better and have more positive results in our life.  So how do we have this fellowship with God?  We have fellowship or abide in God when we spend time in God's word.  It is important that we give attention to his word, that we read his word, that we speak his word out loud and that we share his word with others.  When we take time every day to spend a few moments in the word of God, that is fellowship.  It is out of this fellowship that our relationship with God will grow and we start to move in concert with God and start to have more positive experiences in our life.

Everything begins with the word of God

As God's children we have to have hope for our future.  But, you might say, how does that work or how would I have faith for my future?  Well spiritual faith requires that we begin with the word of God.  It is with the word of God that we begin anything in our life.  Because to walk out a blessed future for our lives it requires faith in the word of God.  That is what's necessary to get the aid of the grace of God in our lives.  We have to base our hope (positive expectations) on the word of God.  It says in Mark 11:22 (NIV) "Have faith in God".  That is how everything starts for us.  It says in John 1:1 (NIV) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  So when we begin our plans for our future on the word of God, we are actually bringing God into our plans and ensuring our success.

A Call to Fasting and Prayer for our Nation

We would like to ask you to join our ministry in devoting an hour of your time tomorrow, Friday August 3, 2012 to fasting and prayer for our nation.   During this hour we devote our time to nothing else but to prayer and bible scripture.  We would ask that you would pray for the citizens of our nation to draw closer to God.  Pray for the long-term unemployed, those living in poverty and those who do not have enough food to eat.  You can visit our website at www.arms.cc

Do we draw near to God?

One of the promises that is given in James 4:8 is that if we draw near to God that he will then draw closer to us.  But you may ask, how do we draw close to God?  We draw close to God when we allow him to lead and guide us.  When we seek him out on issues and things that are important to us, and then listen and act upon what he shares with us.  Be assured that a blessed harvest will come out of that.  We draw closer to him when we allow him to share with us what is wrong in our lives or where we have to change.  When we draw closer to the Lord he will be more open to share with us and show us where we need to make adjustments so that we can move forward in our lives to greater blessing.

We do not want to become double-minded

As God's children, we want to always maintain a single-minded focus.  In other words, if we keep our self single-minded we will keep our spirits healthy.  We keep ourselves healthy when we keep the darkness out and only let in the light and keep ourselves focused on what is good.  Because there is a danger if we allow ourselves to become double-minded.  It says in James 1:7-8 8 (AMP) "7 For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord, 8 [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]."  When we become double-minded, we bring instability into our life and we take ourselves out of position to receive from the Lord.

Do we show our giving with actions?

In James 2:15-16 (CEB) it says,  “15 Imagine a brother or sister who is naked and never has enough food to eat. 16 What if one of you said, “Go in peace! Stay warm! Have a nice meal!”? What good is it if you don’t actually give them what their body needs?"  So our giving is a reflection of our faith.  Our giving is actually a manifestation of our faith.  We as God's children are admonished to walk in love with one another.  We are to show the same love toward each other as the Lord Jesus showed to us.  This we are to keep in the forefront of our thinking.  We should always keep this top of mind.  So I encourage you to show your love and your faith in God through the manifestation of your giving as well.  To share a donation or gift into this ministry click http://www.arms.cc/giving.html

Our choices determine our path of life

The choices that we make in life are critical.  We can either make choices that are going to bring more joy and happiness into our life or we can make choices that are going to bring more sadness, depression and negativity into our life.  The choice is ours.  In Deuteronomy 30:19 (NLT) it says, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!”.  Choices not only determine our path in life but they also reveal who we really are.  We can tell what type of person they are by the choices they make.

God wants to put us on the right path

Everyone of us wants to be on the right path for our life.  The path that is going to produce more joy and happiness in our life.  So how do we get on this right path and what will it produce?  The psalmist opened this up to us when he wrote in Psalms 23:1 (AMP) "The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack."  It is the Lord himself who leads us and guides us to put us on the right path.  Do we listen to the voice of the Lord in his word?  Are we open to what the Lord is doing in our life?  Do we look for the leading of the Lord?  It is by following the guidance of the Lord that we find our way to the right path for our life and this path leads to nothing but blessing.  The psalmist put it this way in Psalms 23:6 (AMP) 
"Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place."

God wants everyone to experience his love and mercy

Our Heavenly Father is such a kind and gracious God.  He wants everyone to experience his love and mercy.  We think of the story of Jonah.  Jonah was a prophet and man of God who at first didn't want to do what God had instructed him to do.  Which was to go to Nineveh and preach to the Assyrians the message of God.  This disobedience nearly cost him his life and the lives of others who were with him on that ship.  But our gracious God spared Jonah's life and gave him a second chance.  When Jonah obeyed he got back on the path to blessing and it brought blessing to the Assyrians.  Jonah was a tool to get the Ninevite's back on the right path with God.  What an expression of God's love and mercy.  God wants us to experience this in our lives as well.  He wants us to feel, sense and walk in his unfailing love and he wants to restore to us all that has been stolen or taken from us.  So that our life will be a full expression of his love and mercy. (Book of Jonah)

Do we give out of love and obedience?

 It says in Deuteronomy 28:1-2 (NLT) “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. 2 You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God:”  It is out of love and obedience that we give of our treasury to the Lord.  It is out of a loving devotion that we give of our substance to the Lord.  In Deuteronomy 28:8 (NLT) it says “The Lord will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.”  When we are obedient to the Lord, including in our giving, the Lord will guarantee our blessing.  To share a gift or to donate into our ministry simply click http://www.arms.cc/giving.html.

Do we focus on what is right?

There is so much negativity around us every day.  When we watch the news, so much of the reporting is about what's wrong or who is doing something wrong.  So much reporting in various media is negative.  Unfortunately, we live in a negative world.  The reporting so often talks about the mistakes and what's wrong to point of neglecting what's right or who is doing something good.  This is not the way of the Lord Jesus.  We think of the parable of the Miraculous Catch of Fish of Peter in Luke 5:1-9.  Peter did not completely obey the instructions that the Lord Jesus gave him.  Jesus told him to let down the "nets" and Peter said that he would let down the "net".  So Peter partially obeyed the Lord.  The Lord Jesus blessed him on the part that he obeyed.  Jesus did not focus on what was not done but focused upon what was right and this is what brought Peter to repentance.  This is a lesson for all of us.

Do we inspire people to do the right thing?

If we have been born again of water and spirit, we are a new creation in Christ.  This spirit of Christ brings new life to us.  It is of course a deposit of the eternal life to come in Christ.  With this new life also comes gifts of the Holy Spirit.  One of those gifts is the gift of encouragement or the ability to inspire with hope or courage or confidence.  We can inspire people through our example or by sharing with them stories that could up lift and strengthen them or by sharing with them comments about the things that they are doing right in their life.  What a wonderful way to use this life that we have in Christ by being an inspiration to others. (Romans 12:8)

Do we try to build people up?

If we are walking in love with our neighbor, then we should be trying to build them up.  How do we build them up you might say?  We build them up by trying to help them improve their lives in a positive manner.  When we give those of our family, friends or co-workers feedback is it with the goal to build them up?  Is it with the goal to be constructive?  It should be.  When we try to build up those who God has drawn into our life, it should be done it a positive way.  It should be done through the lens of helping and supporting, and not tearing down or negative.  When we build people up, we do it though the act of encouragement.

Do we share?

In Galatians 6:6-10 (CEV) it says, "6 Share every good thing you have with anyone who teaches you what God has said. 7 You cannot fool God, so don’t make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant." We as God's children are admonished to share of our substance with the people and places in our lives that provide for our instruction. We think about those who go to higher institutions of learning. Do they pay a tuition? This could be tens of thousands of dollars or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the College or University. If we are so generous with those that teach us in our academic life, shouldn't we be as, or even more, generous to our spiritual teachers and our Churches (Our places of spiritual learning). To share a gift or make a donation into our ministry click http://www.arms.cc/giving.html

Are we kind to each other?

As we walk in the love of God, we are admonished to be kind.  Do we allow this spiritual force of the Holy Spirit to flow through us?  If we are kind to our neighbor, then we try to be useful to them.  We try to be of help to them.  In kindness, we approach things with a mild and pleasant style.  Compassion is also associated with kindness.  In other words, we can empathize with the plight of others and we actually extend effort to try to relieve the person from the difficult situation that they find themselves in.  Forgiveness is also associated with kindness.  Perhaps someone is in pain because of what they did to you.  Kindness causes us to reach out to that person in forgiveness.  As we receive this kindness from our Heavenly Father, we allow this kindness to flow through us.  (Ephesians 4:32)

Is fear hindering you?

On this planet there is a force that causes a lot of destruction in peoples lives; and that force is fear.  Is fear holding you back, causing you to miss out on opportunities, not fulfill your dreams or not accomplish with your life what you feel you should?  There is a danger in fear, in that if it is allowed to be focused on and grow in our lives it will draw challenges, obstacles and will ultimately manifest defeat in our lives.  There is one spiritual antidote to fear and that is the love of God.  It says in 1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."  So there you have it, receive the love of God and meditate on it and it will drive out fear.

Do we have the capacity to love?

If we have been born again of water and the Holy Spirit, then yes, we have the capacity to love with the love of God.  It says in Romans 5:5 "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.".  There are many people who hope for things but they never come to realization.  There are many people who hope but the hope turns to disappointment.  That is not the case when our hope has as its substance faith in the word of God.  So our faith in the word of God is what guarantees our hope.  This also is a manifestation of the love of God which has been shed into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

How do we give?

It says in 2 Corinthians 9:6 "But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."  So my question to us is how do we give?  Are we restrained in our giving?  I can tell you that the measure that we give to any undertaking will be a huge determinant as to what we will get out of it.  If we give little to no attention to nutrition in our diet, our body will most likely reflect  this deficit.  if  we give little to no time to exercise in our life, then our body will most likely reflect the lack of energy and time devoted to this.  This is also true in our support of God's work.  If we will sow with blessings (with the purpose of love, devotion and obedience) into the Lord's work then we will also reap greater blessings in our life.  To share a gift or make a donation into our ministry simply click http://www.arms.cc/giving.html.

Is your faith being tested?

Sometimes when we have received guidance from the Lord for a matter, our faith is then tested.  Our Heavenly Father never tempts us but he does permit tests.  The reason he permits tests is because he wants to evaluate where we stand and to give us the opportunity to grow.  When we prepare for a quiz or a final exam, we may not like the intensity that takes place to prepare for it.  But it does us a lot of good.  The test helps us to prepare not only for it but for also the real life situations that will come up that the test represents.  When we go through tests it also helps to strengthen us and gives us greater endurance.  (Romans 5:3-5)

We all have trials that we go through

There isn't a one of us who doesn't go through trials in life.  In other words, we at some point in our life will experience trouble, distress, challenges, obstacles or difficulties.  Their main purpose is to test our patience, endurance or belief.  During times like that we need to make sure that we maintain our faith.  We need to make sure that we continuously expose ourselves to the word of God.  Especially to keep our eyes, mouth and heart full of the promise of God that we are believing for.  By doing this, we will keep ourselves full of faith during the trial so that we can maintain our belief until the promise is realized.

How do we know if we really know God?

In 1 John 4:8 (NKJV) it says, "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."  So our Heavenly Father is sharing with us via the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth, that if we do not exhibit love in our life toward God and our fellow man, that there is something missing in our relationship with God.  In order to have this love, we first have to receive this manifested love toward us in the Heavenly Father's sending of his Son (Jesus Christ) to redeem us from sin.  Once we have received the Lord Jesus into our heart and allowed his word to transform us, then it is only natural that we would walk in the knowledge of God by exhibiting this love toward God and our fellow man.  (1 John 4:8-11)

Do we have a trusting relationship with the Lord?

As God's children it is always imperative that we have a trusting relationship with our Heavenly Father.  If we trust him we believe that our God is a God of integrity.  That he will do that which he says that he will do.  That he will keep the promises that he has given to us.  That he will be faithful to us.  If we trust God, then we will  believe that our Heavenly Father is competent or is able to do that which he says he will do.  In a trusting relationship, there is always compassion.  We will acknowledge the compassion of our God to us.  We will be assured of our Heavenly Father's compassion in our life. (Proverbs 3:5:6)

We have proof of our fellowship with God

Someone can ask you what proof do you have of your relationship with God?  As a child of God, you can say that you have proof of your fellowship with God because of the Holy Spirit that has been spread abroad in your heart.  From the Holy Spirit's existence in your spirit, you have the love of God residing on the inside of you.  With the presence of love on the inside of you, there isn't anything that you can't accomplish in your life.  This love of God enables everything to function in your life better.  It is the force that provides you with the capacity to share love with others in a more meaningful and significant way.

We get to give

It is amazing to me how the truths of God can be so evident in little children. I was recently in the midst of a young boy who wanted to give an offering into God's work. All he had was two pebbles. He shared those pebbles with me and they meant so much. I know that the Lord will recognize this child's gift or donation into the ministry. I know the Lord will bless the heart of this child who wanted to sow something into the ministry of the Lord. It should be the same with us. We should always have an open hand to the Lord when it comes to our finances. The Lord does not need our money but we most certainly need the reward that comes from a thankful, cheerful ready to do it giver. It says in Luke 6:38 (NLT) "38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back" To sow a gift into our ministry, simply click http://www.arms.cc/giving.html

Should marriage be defined only between a man and a women?

To learn about if marriage should be defined as only between a man and a women, click the link below:
Should marriage be defined only between a man and a women?

Do we do the good that we know to do?

In Hebrews 12:1 (ERV) it says, "We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall."  We have negativity all around us every day.  Unfortunately, we live in a negative world.  We as God children want to be individuals that are positive and focus on the positive.  We want to focus our energies on things that build up and not tear down.  We want to put our energies into doing the good that we know God wants us to do.  If we will focus on doing the good that we know to do, then we will experience more of God's blessing in our life.  By focusing on and doing the good we know to do there won't be anything to stop the blessing of God at work in our life.

The anointing of God removes burdens and destroys yokes

Our Heavenly Father provides for us a wonderful way for us to combat that which afflicts us today.  It is called the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  The anointing of God will help to take off of us that which constrains us or burdens us or hinders us in our walk with our Heavenly Father.  One of the keys to activating this anointing is to walk in faithfulness with God.  People that are faithful are loyal.  They are people who are true, constant and consistent.  They are children of God who are steadfast and staunch in their devotion.  They are people who are fully devoted and full of faith.  Let us walk in faithfulness so that we can experience the burden removing and yoke destroying power of God in our life.  Because the anointing of God does not work where there is unfaithfulness and sinfulness. (Isaiah 10:27)

Are you eating from the table?

Our Heavenly Father prepares a table for us every Worship Service.  Every time the anointing of the Lord is present for us a table is prepared for us to eat off of.  This table that the Lord prepares for us is an answer to our prayers.  It is the source of our sustenance.  It is the spiritual food that we are to eat that will provide for us full provision.  The question is do we eat?  Do we open our hearts, receive, believe, become fully persuaded of and fully convinced of that which our Heavenly Father shares with us.  That which the Lord gives us to eat spiritually is what we need for our provision and success. (Psalm 23:5)

What kind of enemies are you facing?

In Ezekiel 28:24 (CEV) it says, "²⁴ When that happens, the people of Israel will no longer have cruel neighbors that abuse them and make them feel as though they are in a field of thorns and briers. And the Israelites will know that I, the Lord God, have done these things." During this time the Israelites had neighbors all around them that hated them and wanted them to fail and not succeed. They were a thorn in their side. What type of thorns or enemies do we face today? Business failure, famine, infertility, no raises on our jobs, lack of promotion opportunities on our jobs, failure in life, confusion, all manner of diseases and all manner of hardships. There are many thorns or enemies that we can face in our time. But our God wants us to know that his Grace is sufficient to attack and over- come any of these enemies. With God's grace we can overcome any obstacle in our life.

Blessed Father's Day!

How to Be a Great Dad
Have a heart designed to show more love than many others will,
Add the thoughtful understanding that becomes a special skill.
Build in patience, perseverance, lots of work and sacrifice
And the wisdom that a person needs to hand out good advice...
Include those special touches that bring smiles and laughter, too,
And you'll have the kind of father who's as wonderful as you!
Blessed Father's Day!   www.arms.cc

God's grace is always sufficient

It says in 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV) "And God is able to make all grace abound toward  you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work."  Our Heavenly Father's grace will minister to us all that we have need of.  It will minister to us the harvest that we have need of so that we can sow seed into others.  So that we can be a vessel of God and be a blessing to those around us.  Our Heavenly Father will provide for us the resources so that we can do the good works that he wants us to do.  He is the supplier of the seed sown and also the multiplier of the seed that we sow.  So that we will experience a bountiful harvest and have plenty of seed.

Do we draw in God's goodness into our life?

It says in Psalm 27:13 (NLT) "¹³ Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living." It says in Galatians 5:22 (NLT) "²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: ...goodness..." The Holy Spirit is a spiritual force that can release more of God's goodness in our lives. Do we release our faith for the goodness of God in our lives? If we will, we will start to see more of the Lord's goodness at work in our life. When God's goodness is in our life we are experiencing the kindness of God; we are experiencing his generosity to us. Our Heavenly Father wants to give us that which is most beneficial to us. He wants us to provide for us that which is over and above. He wants us to experience a substantial and bountiful life while we are here on this earth. All we have to do is release our faith for it.

Are you positioned for greater responsibility?

We all want to increase in life.  We want to take on greater responsibilities and achieve more in life.  But the question is are we ready?  How do we know if we are ready?  We only have to look no further then at our own behavior.  It says in Luke 16:10 (NLT) "10 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones...."  It says in Luke 16:10 (NIV) "10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much..."  So there we have it in the Lord Jesus own words,  The question that we need to ask ourselves in determining our preparation for the next level is are we faithful in the things that we have currently been given responsibility over?  Can we be trusted in the small or minor affairs that have been given to us?  If the person is not faithful in a dating relationship, it is almost certain they will not be faithful in a marriage.  If a person is not faithful in the interview and probationary period of their employment, this is almost certainly to play our in their continued employment.  This is also true with the things of God.

Don't become discouraged

When we have obstacles and challenges in life it is easy to start to focus more on the challenges then we are focusing on our God or the solution.  It is exactly at times like this that we can become discouraged.  There is a danger when discouragement finds a place in our heart.  Because it potentially positions us to go back to harmful and inappropriate behavior that we have changed from.  Simply because we have become discouraged.  But discouragement has to yield to the joy of the Lord.  Be assured that if we will not give up and continue to press into what God has called us, the joy of the Lord will sustain us and the Lord will grant us success.

Are you trying to fulfill your dream, vision and goals?

As we strive to fulfill our dream, vision and goals for our life, there will be obstacles, challenges and hindrances that will come up.  In other words, there will be opportunities to become discouraged.  Discouragement is when we begin to loose our confidence, hope and become dispirited.  But we as God's children want to remain faithful to what God has laid into our heart.  We don't want to let anything deter us from fulfilling the vision God has given us.  As God's children we want to access the strength that God has for us so that we can fulfill that which he is directing us in.  This strength is found in the joy of the Lord.  The joy of the Lord is what provides us the strength to carry on and endure.  It provides us the strength to keep keeping on despite that which comes against us. (Nehemiah 8:10)

Are we a gift giver?

In Acts 10:1-8 we read about a certain military man in the bible.  His name is Cornelius a Roman soldier who was a Captain of the Italian regiment.  He was a devout man who regularly prayed to God.   This soldier, and his family, were the first people to receive the message of Christ after his resurrection.  The one thing that stood out to me about this devout man is that he was a regular gift giver.  He gave gifts to the poor.  Are we a regular gift giver?  Do we regularly give gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?  I want to assure you that your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers will so appreciate those who extend gifts to them like this.  Remember, what we give we position ourselves to receive.

Do we have endurance?

Endurance is our capacity to act or withstand in times of hardship or stress.  In other words, it is our ability to withstand or overcome in times of difficulty or when we go through times of physical, mental or spiritual tension and strain.  While we are in this world, we will always be subject to attack from the evil one.  In Ephesians 6:11 (AMP) it says, "Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heaven-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able to successfully stand up against [all] the strategies and deceits of the devil." God has given us a way that we can stand up against the evil one and be victorious.  We have to take a stand.  The stand that we take is based on the Word of God.  We take the Word of God concerning the area we are being attacked in and stand on that until we have received our victory.

Do we follow a pattern of faithfulness?

If we are to be good soldiers in the army of the Lord, we have to follow the pattern of faithfulness that has been laid down for us in the Bible.  The call to follow Christ is available and is for everyone.  Everyone of us has a calling on their life to be a follower of Christ.  In order to do that we have to be faithful to the calling on our lives.  Discipline is connected with being faithful.  A person who is disciplined is one who has been trained for their purpose.  They are able to control their behavior.  In other words, they are self-controlled.  They allow themselves to be led.  We as God's children want to make sure that we live our lives with discipline.  This will help to ensure our faithfulness.  We want to have enough discipline to do that which we should do when we should do it.

Are we willing to suffer for Christ?

The Lord Jesus was willing to suffer the cross out of obedience to our Heavenly Father and in order to bring salvation and redemption to mankind.  How is it with us?  Are we willing to suffer?  What do we mean by suffer?  Our Heavenly Father does not want us to suffer under sickness and disease.  Our Heavenly Father does not want us to suffer in poverty and lack.  So what does he mean?  To suffer for our God means that we lay aside our desires and that we subordinate that which we want to do for the sake of the Gospel.  A good example of this was with the Lord Jesus.  In 1 Peter 3:18 it says "This is true because Christ suffered for our sins once. He was an innocent person, but he suffered for guilty people so that he could bring you to God. His body was put to death, but he was brought to life through his spirit."  In other words, Christ suffered for us in obedience to the Heavenly Father.  That is our calling as well.  As the Lord Jesus prayed in the Garden, "Not my will but thy will".  This also has to be our desire.  It has to be our desire to do the will of our Heavenly Father.  It has to be our desire to suffer our desire for God's desire so that we can be a blessing to God and our fellow man.

Our Sunday message was “Be a Good Soldier”

Our Sunday message was “Be a Good Soldier”

 Foundation Text:

 2 Timothy 2:3 (CEB)

³ Accept your share of suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  www.arms.cc

Won't you help us support our military men and women, and their families. Read below to learn how...

Won't you help us support our military men and women, and their families. Read below to learn how...

God Gives Us His Peace

To listen to our Sunday Message "God Gives Us His Peace"
Foundation Text:
John 14:27 (AMP)

²⁷ Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]

Click http://www.arms.cc/GodGiveusHisPeace.mp3

We have to walk by faith

In this world that we live in, it is very easy to get caught up in walking by the things that we see.  In other words, we are moved, motivated, believe in and make decisions by that which we can touch, feel, taste, see and smell.  If we live our life by our senses, we will never reach or fulfill the fullness of what our Heavenly Father has for us.  Because it requires faith and hope in this life to accomplish our dreams and aspirations.  When we walk by faith in the word of God, then we open up the power of God to intervene in our affairs of life.  We open up ourselves to the very supernatural help of our Heavenly Father to ensure our progress and fulfillment in this life.  In Hebrews 11:1 (ERV) it says,

"Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see."

God will always provide for us peace

If we are going through something challenging in our life, we can be assured that our Heavenly Father will provide for us.  One of the names for the Lord Jesus is Prince of Peace.  We also are known as children of peace.  Peace is the manifestation of God himself.  So when we are at peace, we are experiencing a manifestation of God.  If we need peace as residents of the Kingdom of God, all that we have to do is to ask for it to be released into our heart and soul.  It says in Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) "³ You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You."

God wants us to prosper

Our Heavenly Father has gone to great length to ensure the prosperity of his children.  Our Heavenly Father sent his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to die, be buried, resurrect and to ascend back to Heaven so that the blessing of Abraham would come upon us.  The blessing of our Heavenly doesn't do anything but afford us blessing and prosperity in our lives.  However, in order to get into agreement with this plan of blessing, we have to be obedient to the voice of God.  It says in
Deuteronomy 28:1-2 (NLT)"1“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. ² You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God:"

Do we do the good that we know to do?

In Hebrews 12:1 (ERV) it says, "We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall."  We have negativity all around us every day.  Unfortunately, we live in a negative world.  We as God children want to be individuals that are positive and focus on the positive.  We want to focus our energies on things that build up and not tear down.  We want to put our energies into doing the good that we know God wants us to do.  If we will focus on doing the good that we know to do, then we will experience more of God's blessing in our life.  By focusing on and doing the good we know to do there won't be anything to stop the blessing of God at work in our life.

Blessed Mother's Day!

A Prayer for you,

Mother

With Love Today and Always
Thinking of you on Mother’s Day,
With love and with a prayer
That God will always keep you
In His tender loving care

Warmly,

Amos & Sarah Robinson

Do we exercise self-control?

Everyone of us has his own will.  In other words, we have our own ability to exercise belief.  It is within our own will that we can become resolute and determined to exercise self-control in any area of our life.  A minister I know used to say "If it is going to be, it is up to me"  So much in life is determined by the choices and decisions that we make.  Our Heavenly Father does not leave us alone with just our will-power alone.  God also provides for us the spiritual force of self-control.  It says in Galatians 5:22-23(NKJV)²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control..."  So if we would like to put the spiritual force of Heaven behind our will-power, just pray and release the spiritual force of self-control in your spirit and soul over the area in question.

Are we faithful?

Faithfulness is not as prevalent in our society as it used to be.  When one is faithful, you would say that they are a firmly devoted person.  When one is faithful you would say that they are full of faith.  You would say that person is worthy of trust or belief.  You could also say that a faithful person is consistent with the truth.  So are we faithful?  Faithfulness is something that we should pursue.  Our friends, supervisors, co-workers and family admire a faithful person.  It is a spiritual force that will esteem you in the sight of God and in the sight of man.  In Galatians 5:22 (NIV) the bible tells us that..."the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness..."  So if we release the spiritual force of faithfulness into our spirit and soul, we can be faithful.

God will repay us

Unfortunately in life sometimes things happen to us that are not fair.  Someone cheats us out of a promotion.  Because of a bad relationship, we have lost years of our life.   Someone takes from us what rightfully belongs to us.  How do we respond in this situation?  Do we try to take revenge?  If so, we shouldn't, because God is our vindicator.  God has said in his word that vengeance and recompense belong to him.  We are to place these matters in the Lord's hand and then do what he instructs us to do.  We can also declare the Lord's favor over these situations as well.  If we will set the table in this way, the Lord will bring us out better then before.  (Hebrews 10:30)

Do we trust God?

In a relationship there always has to be trust.  This is true with our spouses, friends and co-workers.  Moreover, this is true with our Heavenly Father.  If we have trust with our Heavenly Father then we know that he is a very compassionate God.  He is moved to help and support us in our needs and wants.  We also know that our God is able and willing.  Our Heavenly Father has the power to minister to us in any area of our life.  With complete trust in God we know that he will always tell us the truth.  He will tell us what we should hear not necessarily what we want to hear.  If we will listen to the truth that he delivers to us and act on it, it will always guide us to a wonderful and blessed conclusion. 
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

We Have The Forgiveness Of Sins Through The Blood Of Jesus

To listen to our Sunday Message titled "We Have The Forgiveness Of Sins Through The Blood Of Jesus" simply click http://www.arms.cc/WeHaveTheForgivenessOfSinsThroughTheBloodOfJesus.mp3

Foundation Text:
Ephesians 1:7 (NKJV)
⁷ In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Watch Kevin LeVar perform "A Heart that Forgives by clicking http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=indCvnD4Ji4

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge

We as God's children need to develop a healthy fear of the Lord.  What do I mean by this?  This does not mean that we walk around afraid and in dread of our Heavenly Father.  That He is going to send a lightning bolt out of heaven and hurt us in some way.  But it does mean that we hold our Heavenly Father in reverence.  In other words, we elevate our Heavenly Father and His word so high in our life that there is nothing more important in our thinking and seeking.  We place God so high in our life that everything else is subordinate to Him.  Our Heavenly Father has to remain supreme in our lives.  (Proverbs 1:7)

God always has a due season

When we are going through life, not everything comes out the way we had planned.  Just because we live in the earth everyone encounters challenges and difficulties.  However, it is during such times that we ought to continue to sow.  In other words, we don't let times of challenge stop us from doing what is good and doing what is right.  During such times is exactly when we need to continue sowing.  Because we have a promise from our Heavenly Father.  In Galatians 6:9 it says "...let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not loose heart."  So during those challenging times continue sowing and doing good.  Do not give up or grow tired in doing good because our due season will surely come.

God can redeem us out of anything and restore us

We think of the account in Amos 3:12 NLT "A shepherd who tries to rescue a sheep from a lion's mouth will recover only two legs or a piece of an ear.  So it will be for the Israelites in Samaria"  What that means is that our Heavenly Father can bring us out of any situation and restore to us what's been lost.  The Shepherd in the verse stands for Jesus.  The two legs and the piece of an ear stand for the believer and the lion stands for the devil.  If the sheep has given place to the devil in their life and he has stolen from them, the believer can take the word of God into their ear and stand on it with their two legs and have everything that the devil has stole from them restored.  My dear friends, the Lord has the tendency to restore in double.

God always has a plan

Our Heavenly Father always has a plan for us.  Sometimes we may feel that we have missed God's direction in times past; because we didn't ask him direction as we should have or either we weren't listening when he was speaking to us about his plan.  But the good news is that God always has another way for us to get back into his plan.  How do we figure that out?  Well we don't.  We simply seek the Lord and research his heart and then follow his leading.  As God's children we are not to be lead by our mind but we are to be lead by the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirits' direction will bring peace and will bring provision.  (Matthew 6:33)

Sometimes we have to wait

We live in an instant society today.  We have instant Jello, pudding and a host of other instant products.  So when you live in a society that creates inventions or develops new technology to principly save you time, it is possible that this mentatlity can creep over into the things of God.  Now it is possible to experience instant deliverence, healing and et cetera from our Heavenly Father.  But when it comes to sowing our seeds of faith and offerings into the Kingdom of God, there is usually an element called time between sowing and reaping.  When we sow we, for the most part, do not receive an instant harvest.  There is a divine time of waiting and then when we have entered the due season, we reap.
(Isaiah 40:31)

We want to walk in our divine inheritance

The Apostle Paul shared with King Agrippa when he was before him the heavenly vision that God had given him.  A part of that heavenly vision is that the Apostle Paul would walk in his divine inheritance in Jesus Christ.  Isn't that wonderful.  God's vision for us is that we walk in the inheritance provided for us in Christ.  In that inheritance is everything that we need.  It includes our salvation, healing, financial well-being and etc.  In this inheritance we have every need and every circumstance provided for.  Don't we have such a great God.  It's out of his love that he provided for us such a wonderful inheritance; and a part of his dream for us is that we would walk in this inheritance.  (Acts 26:15-19)

We always want to be at the right place at the right time

On the day of Pentecost there were 120 people in the upper room waiting on the promise that Jesus had given them.  I thought Jesus served thousands upon thousands of people.  Didn't the Lord Jesus hold a sermon on the mount to a multitude.  Where were all of these people at on the day of Pentecost?  We don't know where they were at.  I am sure that some of these people were very much affected by the sermons of the Lord Jesus and that these words of our saviour impacted their life.  However, on the day of Pentecost we know that those people who were not in the upper room were at the wrong meeting.  As God's children we want to make sure that we let God direct the sheepfold that we are to be apart of and that He directs our steps so that we are at the right place at the right time.  (Acts 1:15)

Do we see God at work in our life?

In Philippians 2:13 the bible says "¹³ for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."  Our Heavenly Father is always working in us to do His will and for His good pleasure when we live our life by faith.  That means that when we make our choices and decisions by faith, that our Heavenly Father is always working in us to do His will.  He is allowing things to come into our life.  When we live by faith He is allowing people to come into our life.  He is allowing things to happen concerning us.  We as God's children want to be watchful about what our Heavenly Father is doing.  Because that is our guidance as to what is His will.

Do we pray for the service of our angels

Our Heavenly Father has provided us with millions and millions and millions of angels to provide for our safety and security.  It is the angels job to enforce God's word in the earth.  They are also here in the earth to minister to us.  The angels of God administer, manage, conduct themselves, furnish, supply, dispense, distribute, direct, control and execute in the earth on our behalf.  We can activate angelic activity in our life through our prayers and our attention to God's word in our mouth.  We should make it a practice to pray every day before we leave our house for work, school, travel or anything, for the angels service in our life.  (Hebrews 1:14)